Kinetic study of the gas‐phase photolysis and OH radical reaction of E,Z‐ and E,E‐2,4‐Hexadienedial

Unsaturated 1,6‐dicarbonyls like 2,4‐hexadienedial are ring opening products in the OH initiated photo‐oxidation of aromatic hydrocarbons. In the present study, the photolysis of E,Z‐ and E,E‐2,4‐hexadienedial has been investigated under natural sunlight conditions in a large volume outdoor reaction chamber. In the case of the E,Z‐isomer, an extremely rapid isomerization into the E,E‐form was observed. The photoisomerization frequency, relative to that of NO₂, was found to be J(E,Z‐2,4‐hexadienedial)/J(NO₂) = (0.148 ± 0.012). A more complex photolysis behavior was observed for E,E‐2,4‐hexadienedial. Here, a fast equilibrium preceded a comparably slow photolysis. For the equilibrium reaction, relative frequencies of J(E,E‐2,4‐hexadienedial → EQUI)/J(NO₂) = (0.113 ± 0.009) and J(EQUI → E,E‐2,4‐hexadienedial)/J(NO₂) = (0.192 ± 0.016) were obtained, giving an equilibrium constant of K = (0.59 ± 0.07). For the photolysis frequencies, ratios of J(E,E‐2,4‐hexadienedial → products)/J(NO₂) = J(EQUI → products)/J(NO₂) = (1.22 ± 0.45)·10⁻² were determined. Qualitative aerosol measurements during the experiments showed that the photolysis of 2,4‐hexadienedials is a source of secondary organic aerosol. In addition to the photolysis study, OH radical reaction rate constants were determined, values of (7.4 ± 1.9)·10⁻¹¹ and (7.6 ± 0.8)·10⁻¹¹ cm³ s⁻¹ were obtained for E,Z‐ and E,E‐2,4‐hexadienedial, respectively. The results indicate that the dominant fate of E,Z‐2,4‐hexadienedial in the atmosphere will be photoisomerization, while for E,E‐2,4‐hexadienedial, both photolysis and OH radical reaction will be important sinks. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 31: 689–697, 1999